When I walked over to meet John, the Uber driver, I knew something was different. I could tell by his questions.
After a recent multi-day trip, this was my seventh driver, and John from Kenya was different from all the other drivers I met on my journey. John asked five key questions beforehand to make sure I was happy, and the riding experience was what I wanted from him. No assumptions.
- He immediately came out to where I had my bags and asked if I would like him to put my bags in the trunk. He didn’t assume anything, he asked.
- John questioned if I would like the windows open or air conditioning on?
- Would I like quiet or the radio and if so, what type of music?
- Do I prefer he didn’t talk, or could he speak to me during our drive together?
- Did I have a preference for the route or should he follow the GPS?
I’m always alert to see great marketing come to life through differentiation. John didn’t make any assumptions of what I, as the customer needed or wanted. He asked questions. He didn’t assume anything.
Serving Personal Needs
Whatever type of business you work in, there is an opportunity to start the engagement by understanding the customer or client with precision. What can you do to provide them with what they want, not what you were trained to do? Scripts are helpful for theatre but teaching everyone in a company to understand their job to serve is more valuable. And the best way to know how you can help a customer is simple. Ask them.
Whether you work in accounting, logistics, marketing, sales, human resources, or as an executive, asking questions, listening for queues, and being mindful of your role is vital. Don’t assume anything and recognize how things may be different, for the same person on different days. Asking great questions makes you better prepared to serve each specific customer’s needs. It also means you aren’t treating customers as if their demands are the same.
I want all of my Uber rides to be with John. Or, I’d like Uber to learn how to train the drivers to do what John did. His five questions made the trip exactly what I wanted, not what Uber thought I wanted.
John didn’t assume anything.
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. Visit my website at www.themarketingsage.com The conversation is free, and we can explore working together.
